Child's Play

A UCL study has analysed collected information across the globe on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and has concluded that they are only half as likely to suffer from the viral infection than adults (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/may/22/children-covid-19-adults-data-coronavirus). As one might expect, the useful papers are a) rather few in number (children have rarely been a major focus to date) and b) use rather diverse measures (only a few actually look for antibodies and track the passage of the infective agent within family settings). It does appear clear that children are less likely to suffer severe consequences from a Sars CoV-2 infection (although they are, in no sense, immune and a few may develop life-challenging conditions). What is less clear is whether children can be vectors for the virus, when they come into contact with older people (although Australian contact tracing studies suggest that they are unlikely to do so). There are many good reasons for wanting to 'get kids back into school' I think we need to proceed with extreme care.